In view of the worldwide pollution, there is a need to reduce harmful emissions caused by fossil fuel engines. The present invention is a simplified emission control device which may be placed in the air filter or other convenient location of the incoming air or oxidizer stream (a car grill is one example) of such an engine and which reduces toxic emissions.
There have been numerous attempts to devise emission controls. There are those which attempt to deliver a catalyst into a combustion chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,483 issued in the name of B. Robinson uses a container of catalytic solution wherein air is bubbled through the solution to absorb the catalyst. The air is then passed into the incoming air stream of a combustion engine.
Other references of note are U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,519 issued to Schoenhard; U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,222 issued to Nelson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,520 issued to Slaton; U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,827 issued to Wentworth, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,637 issued to Scena; U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,819 issued to Wentworth, Jr.; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,116 issued to Knight. All of these devices set forth means to improve the combustion process by effecting an incoming air stream. Each of these devices employ mechanical and/or electrical means to introduce the catalyst into the incoming air. The present invention greatly simplifies this procedure in that it employs no mechanical or electrical components, has no moving parts, and uses a simple out-gassing capillary action to release the catalyst. Because of its design simplicity, it requires no mechanical expertise to use or install.